Kayla Justicehttp://kaylajustice.com
2017Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:00:02 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.1http://kaylajustice.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/cropped-Logo_WIP_5-e1452828108470-32x32.pngKayla Justicehttp://kaylajustice.com
3232105229757Impulse Buys and Moral Dilemmashttp://kaylajustice.com/impulse-buys-moral-dilemmas/
http://kaylajustice.com/impulse-buys-moral-dilemmas/#respondTue, 28 Nov 2017 16:00:02 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3581the leather DILEMMA An interesting thing happened to me recently, that I’ve been thinking about for a few days. It led me to this question: When does your personal wants trump your ethics? I’ve been a vegetarian for the last 6 years and, as you can tell from my posts, I’ve started to delve deeper […]

An interesting thing happened to me recently, that I’ve been thinking about for a few days. It led me to this question: When does your personal wants trump your ethics? I’ve been a vegetarian for the last 6 years and, as you can tell from my posts, I’ve started to delve deeper into veganism and ethical purchases on the non-consumable front. My makeup is all cruelty free, my toiletries are mostly eco-friendly, and I don’t really purchase or use items made from animals if I’m aware of it.

However, over the last week Disney announced a new Dooney and Bourke bag, inspired by Disney dogs. I didn’t really care for the color originally, but I loved the pattern and styles of bags. But, being a high-ticket item at $250 and knowing that people were waiting hours to get their hands on them, I filed it away as an item that I wanted and didn’t need.

Then I went to the park one night to hang out with my roommate when a very sweet cast member informed us that they actually had the bags in stock. Hype and impulse took me over and suddenly I found myself in line for a $158 bag after discount. At first I was excited, what I didn’t like about the bag diminished due to the exclusivity of it. The price was high, and I had already planned to use that money elsewhere, but I justified it as a gift to myself. I called my mom to get her opinion (as I always do with big purchases) and then brought it home. But only about 45 minutes after, before even getting to sit down and look at it, I started to feel a rock settle in my stomach as we were driving home.

Dooney and Bourkes are cute, but they’re leather. The fact that it was actually made from an animal escaped me at the time due to the exclusivity and the rushed thought process. Half the reason why I hadn’t yet bought a Dooney and Bourke purse alluded me, but now that my brain had slowed down, it had come to light. And for the next 30 minutes I had a battle.

If I wanted it enough, was it justifiable to compromise on my ethics? If I had been so good on almost all other fronts, was this a sacrifice that I could make? Was there a point where I could stop sacrificing the things that I wanted, but couldn’t really have due to their production nature? Was I having too much of an all or nothing attitude about a big life change?

To clarify this, I own animal products. My wallet is from Michael Kors and was gifted to me in 2015. I owned a Dooney back in 2011 before I sold it off. Some hair products I have been using up still include animal products as well, I believe. And I’m not a vegan on the consumable front either. But for something as luxurious as a purse, something I’m making a conscious choice on, can I really justify my outright refusal to acknowledge that it’s made from leather when I’ve actively been trying to change my lifestyle?

The answer basically came to no. I knew if I kept the bag I would be out money and I felt like I couldn’t really justify it with “I want it”. We all want things, but some stuff we don’t have because it doesn’t fit our lifestyle. Some people don’t eat at Chik Fil A because of the comments made by the CEO. We don’t shop at specific stores because how they treat their workers, or we don’t donate to organizations because we don’t believe what they stand for. So to me, this didn’t feel any different. Everyday I make decisions and purchases based on what I believe is right and what I want to support.

I don’t want to support the leather industry and that same day I made a purchase from The Package Free Shop (which I will be reviewing). It felt odd and laughable, that I could purchase items that would make the planet safer, cleaner, and greener, and then go off that same night and make a decision to purchase something that animals are killed for and an industry I didn’t support.

applying this theory to other topics

Obviously, you don’t have to agree. There are plenty of facts and articles and information in the world about all sorts of animal cruelty and on the leather industry. And if you don’t believe it, that’s fine too. But I did find this to be an interesting feeling. To go through the motions of recognizing why I feel and believe the things I believe and how they have an impact on how I feel emotionally and how it affects how I shop. This can apply to all sorts of topics and a variety of issues not even related to animal cruelty.

Another example is thrift shopping and when you’re not supporting the brand outright monetarily. Perhaps you find a leather bag at Goodwill that you really like. You’re not giving money to the company and if you don’t buy it, eventually it’ll probably go to the landfill. So is it okay to buy leather secondhand? It really just depends on the person. In the video below My Green Closet illustrates how that’s the best option for buying the material.

I personally don’t shop at fast fashion brands anymore. But almost everything I find at Goodwill is fair game for me, because my main issue is that I don’t want to to monetarily support those brands. Since I know that money won’t go to the production of more wasteful clothing items, nor the brand who are using underpaid labor, I don’t have an issue purchasing them. But, I would never purchase them straight from a rack. And Goodwill doesn’t work on a supply and demand system. They get what they get, from consumers, so shopping at Goodwill doesn’t create anymore waste than already exists or is created from the consumer industry.

consumerism in general

This is a long post, so I’ll end it here. This past week was Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I visited the Outlet Mall recently to look for Christmas gifts beforehand, and it was incredible to see the amount of consumption happening. Families were carrying out bags and bags of items. And I probably used to be one of those people. It didn’t matter the fabrics, the production, the value or quality, it only mattered the deal and whether I wanted it. Where it went after I was finished was out of sight out of mind.

I hope that soon we can all come to understand how mass and extraordinary consumerism is unsustainable, harmful, and even emotionally draining. Take a look around, what do you cherish? Do you want your home to be filled with cruelty-free, clean, and safe products that you know will have a minuscule impact on the future of our planet? Things you still love?

If you want to learn a bit more about the animal materials and vegan synthetics you can watch My Green Closets video here:

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/impulse-buys-moral-dilemmas/feed/03581Confident with the Cash aka Am I an Adult Yet?http://kaylajustice.com/confident-cash-aka-adult-yet/
http://kaylajustice.com/confident-cash-aka-adult-yet/#respondWed, 15 Nov 2017 16:00:58 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3545What’s changed Hey guys! So I’m back on this blog to do a little bit of a different post, kind of based off and expanding on the one I made last year about finances. The horrible, ugly, yet fun, and exciting thing that keep us alive everyday. So, if you’d like some background for this […]

Hey guys! So I’m back on this blog to do a little bit of a different post, kind of based off and expanding on the one I made last year about finances. The horrible, ugly, yet fun, and exciting thing that keep us alive everyday. So, if you’d like some background for this post you can check out my long and old one HERE where I talk about how I graduated college debt-free, bought my cars outright, and basically how I was keeping myself afloat after recently moving into my own apartment.

But now that some time has passed, I’ve experienced a bit more on the financial front (both good and bad), I thought it was time to update with some more recommendations and what I’m doing to ensure that I don’t have to sell all my belongings in order to live. And most of all because Ithink financial planning is FUN! There, I said it, you can all shame me for the loser that I am. But, luckily having interest and enjoying financial planning is something that helps protect me in the long run. So, let’s start out with some changes that I’ve made the last year.

I have a 401k

I’m old now, yay! I had been at Disney for a year before I started to realize that a 401k was an option available to me as a part-time worker. I never had one at my original library job, and since I wasn’t sure where my career was going with Disney I hadn’t ever thought about it. But now that I plan on being with the company until at least Magic Kingdom’s 50th anniversary, I’m in it for a long haul, so I need to start prepping now for my future.

I have to say that sitting down and looking at my options was daunting. I didn’t know what half of it meant, but I ended up researching a bit and picking a collection that I thought was safe and easy. Disney also matches your 401k up to a certain percentage, so every week I’ve been contributing the matching sum. Because, c’mon, that’s free money!

I found a doctor and a dentist

Health Insurance is kind of a big deal right now, but luckily I’ve been researching for when I need to enroll outside of my parents plan. On the notes not related to health insurance, I found a doctor and a dentist where I live so I could transfer all my information and continue going regularly. Now I have a relationship with my care centers, I get my perscriptions easier, checkups regularly, and have recently been getting all my shots updated. I feel a lot better now that I know I have somewhere to go if I need something and that I’m keeping my health in check. And it really wasn’t too hard. I used recommendations for friends, set up a new-patient appointment and was happy with my first choices.

my car broke

Roadtrip

The top two changes are pretty good! They’re not really expensive and invest in my future. This one on the other hand was a bit of a hit. January of last year my car started making screeching noises everytime I stepped on the break. It went on for a few days before I decided to take it to Sears to see what was wrong with it.

After spending 2.5 hours in the store, they told me that my break rotors needed replaced on both sides and other minor issues. They quoted me at about $800. I was annoyed but had luckily saved up some emergency money. However, this was the first time that I had to fix an issue on my own. I decided to take my car to another local store with good reviews and get a second opinion. After 20 minutes they gave me a quote, suggested some other fixes, and quoted me at $400, HALF the price. I brought my car back immediately and they had fixed the entire issue in less than an hour. I was stunned, thankful, and now I go to this auto repair store for EVERYTHING. So in the end, it was a win, and I learned a lot.

i’m a florida resident now!

Rifle Paper Co Print

Also related to my car, I officially became a Florida resident this summer! This was originally spurred because my mom found out that the car insurance that I had under my family’s plan was not actually covering my car since I was living in the State of Florida. Which was a bit of a rock considering I had no idea and any incident could’ve been really terrible. Since that was something on my mind, my parents suggested it was time to get my car insured with a Florida company and that to do that, I would need to become a Florida resident. One thing spurs another, I suppose.

But considering I had lived there for over a year, I was due. I ended up calling and quoting multiple companies before I decided on State Farm. My rate was pretty decent for the year of my car, and my agents have been very kind and helpful. Once I was able to secure that, I made an appointment and had all of my information changed to Florida, including my tags, license, and registration. It cost me a pretty penny, but yearly it is cheaper in Florida to renew my tags, and now I can rest easy knowing I’m covered.

Something important to mention here, is that my bill recently went down from enrolling in their drive and save program. I install a little button in my car that’s linked to an app on my phone and tracks my driving information. It gives you scores based on multiple instances like time of day, turns, and speed. My bill dropped $140 after my first 6 months. Now I get to use that money I save for investments!

i have a credit card now

A terrifying, satisfying, and helpful new thing is that I now have a credit card. I had been weary about credit cards my entire life, thinking that they were inherently bad, before I moved out on my own and started learning more on how to use them. I originally had a Credit Card from my bank from home to purchase gas and other items, but hardly ever used it. Once I moved to Disney I decided to apply for a Disney Chase Visa. Obviously, the pros for this card include Disney rewards points and other perks related to Disney. This made the most sense, since half the money I make, I put right back into the company anyway. I use my card for gas, and other small items, and then pay off the balance in full every month.

That is something that is super important to me as a CC holder now. I refuse to pay interest on items that I purchase and I know the dangers of living with debt (despite never having been, I’ve seen it). I keep my usage under 30% and recently had my limit raised which helps my credit score. There have been times, however, where I’m surprised by my bill. I still pay it in full, but that’s when I know I need to step back and check myself. So far I’ve earned a lot of points, and my credit score has slowly been on the rise!

betterment investing

As I’m writing this, I just called Betterment to set up my investment account. A lot of podcast and sites I read (and trust) have taunted Betterment as the best investing site out there and learning so much about finance, I feel like I NEED to start putting extra money somewhere. I already put back a certain amount every month for my savings, but I feel like I’m out of the loop by not investing. I’m young, I have a pretty stable job that I do well, and it’s time I start making some risks to see what happens. I need to jump in, in order to see how investments really work. And luckily now that my car insurance bill dropped, I have some extra money to play with and hopefully start making money with.

how i’m staying on track

In my last post I gave you guys some recommendations on how to save money and stay on track with your finances, but now that I have more on my plate and have been introduced to some more sites and tips, I want to share them with you. Some will be repeats, and some will be new!

savings apps + Coupon

In my last post, I listed some apps, and unfortunately most of those have gone downhill. Target cartwheel has integrated into the regular target app with it’s pros and cons. Cons being they don’t have as many groceries listed. The same happened with Ibotta, where I don’t see as many items anymore. Mobisave as an app, I recently deleted because every listing needed a special code.

But even if they aren’t as good as they used to be, still use them! I recently cashed out $20 to my bank from Ibotta from grocery savings, and since I buy a lot of Target brand items, I get 5% off and I use my Redcard to save even more. Make sure to also add the Ebates chrome extension so you can save a percentage on your online purchases.

Of course, you can pretty much trust coupons. The type and value are going up and down every week, but they definitely save me the most on my groceries and a lot of times you can find them on the target app separately.

split your subscriptions

I laugh while I say this because I actually don’t help pay for any of my roommates subscription services, I just use them free of charge. But you can split a Netflix subscription between 4 people pretty cheaply and get your entertainment fixes. I personally subscribe to the family version of Spotify which allows me to listen ad-free and add up to 4 friends and family members. Some of them pay me monthly for a part of the subscription which means it’s cheaper than it was for me in college. And Spotify is super important to us as entertainment.

My roommate also just signed up for AMC Stubs since we go to the one near us fairly often and we found out last night that she gets $5 movie tickets every Tuesday until Christmas. Since the signup fee is $15 for the year, she pretty much already saved enough to pay for the entire membership. Now we are more likely to go to the theater every Tuesday as a cheap and easy entertainment option.

write it down and use budget trackers

I’ll go on about mint all day, but I know that it has it’s own cons that really drive me crazy sometime. However, until a better system comes around, I’ll always hype it. It’s the easiest place to gather all your personal earnings, budgets, and transactions. I recently added my investments to it as well, which helps me see growth without having to log into my investment account every couple of weeks.

I also purchased a notebook a few months ago and have been writing down all my transactions and what they were for every time I make a purchase. Sometimes I’ll go a few weeks without writing things but I can pull up my mint and refresh my memory. Seeing it on paper helps me see exactly what I bought and keeps me more motivated to save money.

go zero waste

What’s changed the most since my last post is that I’ve decided to go more minimal and zero waste. I’m not gonna ramble on about how great it is because I do that in enough blog posts, but I cannot tell you how much money I have saved changing some of my habits. I no longer purchase bottled water or parchment paper since I bought reusable replacements. Since I almost exclusively shop at Goodwill for clothes now, I’ve saved hundreds of dollars are perfectly beautiful pieces. I’m actually wearing a shirt and vest that I bought that cost $6 altogether.

I have also switched to bar soaps, make my own cleaners, and have started to use more of my stash of other supplies so I can go on to replace it with cheaper, more natural products. Once I’ve used all my disposable razors, I will be switching to a safety razor which will save me a ton of money since I just have to replace the super cheap blades. And since I don’t like to waste money on food or the plastic it comes with I make all my food in bulk for work. Once I’ve finished with this post I’m actually going to get all my meals ready for the week so it’s easy to pack in the mornings.

Find some free entertainment

I’ve become even more obsessed with our local library than I was last year. I usually have about 7 books stacked up at a time and we have watched probably 30 movies that we checked out from the library which saves us a ton of money. If we don’t want to spend the money at the theater, we just wait until it shows up at the library.

Something else we love doing is playing boardgames, particularly Truth Bombs, What do you Meme, Cards Against Humanity, and Munchkin. Super fun, can last an eternity, and free (after initial purchase of course).

YOUTUBE IT UP. Youtube is definitely my favorite free resource since I could spend all day watching someone vlog from their house or learn how to make halloween cookies.

resources

And thus we have come to the end of this long-winded, utterly boring post. But wait! I have just a few more recs for you if you want to start learning more about personal finance.

By far my favorite podcasts to listen to every week. I’ve never learned so much in my life if not for Thomas and his co-hosts. They’re funny, and intelligent, and so many good resources. 80% of my knowledge comes from these shows.

Produced by Hank Green, this channel is all about your own personal finances. There is a lot of good advice and I’m glad it’s in video form. Some great ideas, but be just a bit weary because sometimes the advice seems more targeted to wealthier communities and I find some of it to be a bit out of touch with the reality of being broke.

This guy is super hardcore about money and savings, but I really respect that aspect about him. Just know going into this blog that it’s pretty hardcore with a no BS attitude, so not the place to go for handholding, but a lot of GREAT financial advice. I find it kind of funny and a challenge.

if you made it this far, congratulations! hopefully you learned something along the way and that all these resources and discussions have been helpful. Until next time…happy spending!

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/confident-cash-aka-adult-yet/feed/03545Annual Traditionshttp://kaylajustice.com/annual-traditions/
http://kaylajustice.com/annual-traditions/#respondMon, 06 Nov 2017 16:00:40 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3524Fall-Filled week @ Disneyland It may have happened over a month ago, and I may be super late, but it was still totally AWESOME! After moving into an apartment with 3 of my friends after my CP it’s become sort of a family tradition for us to go to Disneyland every year now (apparently). It […]

It may have happened over a month ago, and I may be super late, but it was still totally AWESOME!

After moving into an apartment with 3 of my friends after my CP it’s become sort of a family tradition for us to go to Disneyland every year now (apparently). It began in October 2016 with Celine and Brian’s first ever trip, and then as the Fall months came back around we started to get antsy to head back to the better Disney park, so we packed up our bags and headed back a little bit earlier in the year.

First off I’d like to give a shoutout to Marriot Townplace Suites in Anaheim for hooking us up with a sick room. Their pull out sofas are even more comfortable than their beds and the extra kitchen is great for keeping our cheap snacks park ready. Plus their Anaheim Bus system is excellent for the price. Make sure you guys check them out if you’re looking for an affordable place to stay.

We stayed for 4 days at the beginning of the Halloween season so it was a bit more crowded this year, but the weather was absolutely gorgeous, ranging from 72-90 throughout the day. This year we spent more time taking photos and enjoying our favorite rides and atmosphere than trying to see everything.

We didn’t attend any Halloween Parties, but we did get to try out the new MaxPass system which was amazing! For $10 a day per person you are able to book your ride fastpasses on the Disneyland app and it includes ALL your photopass pictures from that day. What a deal! We only had one minor bump with purchasing it on our last day, but it was solved quickly and worked great. We were able to ride our favorite ride (Guardians) 7 times during the trip and were able to do all the other big ticket rides without rushing or any hassle. It was super convenient and easy to use.

The feel of Disneyland is so different from that of Walt Disney World. It’s relaxed, people aren’t rushed to get anywhere, and it does have a more local feel. Half of the people we saw were mostly annual passholders and we actually ran into a family twice that were so pleasant. The decorations for the parks were beautiful and I’m glad to see they expanded Halloween over into Disney’s California Adventure.

Speaking of California Adventure, I will say that I was absolutely impressed by Misison: Breakout. I can fully say that I think it is superior to Tower of Terror. However, considering my love for Marvel and especially GOTG, I’m pretty bias. We also stopped outside to see the Dance-Off and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Hillary was chosen to dance on stage, and Celine was pulled in for a brief second by Star-Lord. It was so upbeat and fun, I wish we had seen a second show!

Not to mention, Mickey had a GREAT time at the Cove Bar this trip! We also just found out that the Cove Bar will be closing and be rethemed for the new Pixar Pier which we are VERY salty about, and I don’t think I can discuss it without getting upset, so we’ll move along.

And of course, to end, the best show of all shows: World of Color. We saw this show twice, both in front row because it is our all time favorite. The color, the lights, the technical aspect, the music, it’s gorgeous. I get emotional every time. PLUS, and I’m not lying: Brian won the Fun Wheel Game before the show started which I really thought was fake because he would be so fast and still lose. But I was proven wrong! We took a snapchat video to prove it, it was one of the most exciting parts of the trip.

You can view my FULL 218-some Flickr Album of our Disneyland Trip HERE!

I got to take some beautiful pictures of this trip and I’m so proud of them, so make sure you check them out. If you guys have any questions about your own Disneyland trip, let me know! And if you’re more of a vlog-type of person, check out my roommate Hillary’s Vlog Channel with all our Disneyland videos! Here is one from DCA:

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/annual-traditions/feed/03524October Faveshttp://kaylajustice.com/october-faves-2017/
http://kaylajustice.com/october-faves-2017/#respondMon, 23 Oct 2017 16:00:21 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3512movies/tv The Flash on CW I’ve never been a big fan of DC in general, but one of my friends recommended this to me a few months ago and I watched the first episode but never continued. Over the past few weeks I’ve finished off Season 1 and it is really addicting. Grant Gustin is […]

I’ve never been a big fan of DC in general, but one of my friends recommended this to me a few months ago and I watched the first episode but never continued. Over the past few weeks I’ve finished off Season 1 and it is really addicting. Grant Gustin is a cutie and I love all the supporting cast as well. While I don’t necessarily think the plot is that strong and the CGI can be cringey, the cast really keep this show going. It also features Carlos Valdes who was originally apart of Starkid, so I feel like I need to support it. Season 1 was wild and I haven’t started the next season but I have really enjoyed this.

Supernatural Season 13

I keep thinking that they need to end this show but I know in the back of my mind that I will be heartbroken when it is finally finished. I have had strong feelings about each season, but again, the cast keep me coming back, even if the writing is not strong. I’m surprised they still have places left to go, but as long as they do I will be here. I felt that season 12 was pretty strong and so far Season 13 has been a wild ride and I’m enjoying having it to look forward to every week. I’m glad that they have found a nice storyline as I was really hesitant.

It 2017

I haven’t seen hardly any movies in theaters lately except IT. And it did not disappoint. I had heard a lot of hype about this movie for awhile and wasn’t necessarily in love with the original when I watched it this year. Again, the cast was incredible, the kids were such strong actors and I was happy that there wasn’t so many jumpscares as there were creepy moments. It lived up to my expectations and it was actually more humorous than I expected. I read the book this year and am excited to see part 2 in the next couple of years.

books

Unfortunately, I haven’t read a lot of amazing books over the last couple of weeks, but one that I did really enjoy was Rebecca Solnit’s new book on feminism. I enjoyed this one more than Men Explain Things to Me, and it’s a perfect short novel that every modern day feminist would enjoy. I also recommend Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Feminist Manifesto.

Blankets is definitely the best book/graphic novel that I’ve read the past few months. It’s a chunk of a book but I managed to finish it in one sitting. The story takes place in a bitterly cold winter in the midwest. Our story follows a young man growing up with his brother in a highly religious family. Soon he meets his first love at Church Camp and we see him grow through and out of love and break from the bonds of his families religion. Growing up in a particularly religious area of the midwest (though not in those circumstances), this book felt very familiar and the setting took me back to winters at home. I absolutely loved this book.

music

How You Feeling? – Superfruit

I’ve been a big fan of Pentatonix for awhile, but I am so hyped about Mitch and Scott’s album Future Friends. Every song is a masterpiece, and this is my favorite song and video on the album. It was done in one take and it’s such a jam. I don’t know how many times I’ve listened to their album, but it’s not enough.

Vapor Meditation – The Liturgists

Before you click play on this one, make sure you’re going into it with an open mind. I personally LOVE music/spoken word tracks because I find them to be so relaxing, spiritual, and inspiring. I am not a religious person, but consider myself pretty spiritual and in-tune with nature and the world. This song popped up on my recs and I listen to it when I’m feeling particularly stressed or angry at the world. It does allude to God and religion in general and their other songs sometimes mention prayer and have a more religious tone but they pretty much are open to all religious and non-religious listeners. I love this because I believe religion does have a purpose for people and as I have posted before, there are a lot of worship songs that I love even if I’m not religious.

ANYWAY. I love this and here is a link to their original song, not the meditation version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOH6qYTOo0c

HEY YA! – Avriel and the Sequoias

Speaking of Pentatonix! Avi Kaplan used to be a member of the group until he recently left to create his own music and these people are just as talented as a group as they are on their own. Avi recently formed his own band and I really love their cover of Hey Ya by Outkast. It was not what I all expected and I love it.

etc.

Kristen Leo YT Channel

Kristen is so glamorous + vegan + ethical shopper so of course I’m IN LOVE with her. She makes videos about ethical fashion, veganism, companies, and other topics that I love. I personally am a fan of her thrifted looks and this one from Stranger Things is so cute. I also love her Thrifted Rachel from Friends video as well.

And that’s all I have for the past two months! I have mostly been hanging out and working so I’ve just been enjoying my usual faves. See you next time!

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/october-faves-2017/feed/03512Curated Closet Update – Thrift Store Findshttp://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-update-thrift-store-finds/
http://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-update-thrift-store-finds/#respondWed, 20 Sep 2017 00:35:17 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3484eco-friendly finds Hey guys, welcome back! This is an update on my Curated Closet post to show you guys all of the clothing that I have bought this year from thrift stores like Goodwill. I love shopping second-hand because you have a ton of different options and can find some really cute and classic pieces. […]

Hey guys, welcome back! This is an update on my Curated Closet post to show you guys all of the clothing that I have bought this year from thrift stores like Goodwill. I love shopping second-hand because you have a ton of different options and can find some really cute and classic pieces. I also love it because of the price, and of course, because it creates less textile waste.

Shopping second-hand cuts down on consumerism and lends itself to slow fashion. Since I started becoming more aware of my shopping habits, I’ve only purchased one or two items from department stores like Target, usually because I needed something last minute. Forewarning: I’m a big fan of stripes! I also know that this setup doesn’t really do the clothing justice, but rest assured I tried all these on and really love their shapes on me. But let’s get on to the clothing!

fabrics & Stores

I wanted to list the fabrics that these clothes are made out of too, as I’ve just started to understand more what type of fabrics are included in mass produced clothing. Obviously, organic cotton is the most environmental type of fabric and polyester and Rayon are some of the worst. My least favorite clothing are 100% polyester, which is what the bottom tank top is made from. Polyester has no stretch and really doesn’t have any shape to it. My favorite clothes are made out of 100% cotton like the Merona t-shirts.

All of these items came from Goodwill except for the Purple Rock Steady Skirt that I purchased pre-owned on Ebay. That’s another great way to purchase items you love, but in a more environmentally and probably cheaper way.

My favorite bottoms that I have purchased is is the cotton-denim skirt, or the sunflower skirt. Both are perfect styles for me and vary in their designs but also match up with neutral tops. As I mentioned in my last post, I H A T E dresses. My favorite outfit is jeans or a skirt with a separate shirt.

My favorite top is definitely the 3/4 sleeve cream Merona shirt, or the multi-colored Tank Top from Sonoma. As you can tell I accidentally got mascara on the tank and haven’t been able to get it out. Both of these items are SUPER comfortable and are nice additions to a Florida wardrobe for those hot and inbetween seasons.

out and about

I didn’t post a picture of these items above, but I recently went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with my friends and we decided to do a Newsie inspired outfit. For the outfit I found 3 separate pieces from my local Goodwill and the rest from what was in my closet. It cost me about $10! Here are some of the pieces at work. Professional photos taken by Rachel Dunlop.

on & on

The fast fashion challenge I was participating in has come to an end this summer, but I am fully comitted to continue living an environmentally conscious and slow-fashion lifestyle. I find absolute joy in searching through racks of clothes at thrift stores, looking for my next hit while still being mindful of the size of my wardrobe.

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-update-thrift-store-finds/feed/03484The Impossible Listhttp://kaylajustice.com/the-impossible-list-2017/
http://kaylajustice.com/the-impossible-list-2017/#respondWed, 06 Sep 2017 16:00:16 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3472do i practice what i preach? I wrote a post back in 2015 about my own Impossible List which you can read HERE. Recently I went back to Kansas to visit my family for a week and anytime I travel I suddenly get the urge to DO MORE. I think it’s because a airport is bustling […]

I wrote a post back in 2015 about my own Impossible List which you can read HERE. Recently I went back to Kansas to visit my family for a week and anytime I travel I suddenly get the urge to DO MORE. I think it’s because a airport is bustling with working people and I spend most of it reading, watching classes, or the like. The idea of moving from place to place, having a schedule of things to do also gets me more motivated.

While I was home I watched a variety of videos on Skillshare which I currently had a free trial for. I watched multiple videos on iphone photography and DSLR photography and suddenly realized I wasn’t learning or implementing anything new into my life. After I returned home I started working harder at advancing in my job and my hobbies.

2015 impossible

I was relistening to Joel Runyon’s interview on the CIG podcast where he talks about his Impossible List, and I realized I never checked back on mine. Or updated it to where I am now: Living in Orlando, working for Disney. So, what have I actually accomplished? You can read my entire list at the post linked above, but the things that I did finish were as followed:

2017 Impossible

I am actually fairly surprised at the amount that I did accomplish in two years, though there were a lot of goals that were left undone. I’ve decided to update this list for the new year and create an entire page on my site dedicated to it which you can find HERE. But for the posts sake, this is what I’ve deemed now that I’ve become independent in life!

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/the-impossible-list-2017/feed/03472August Faves!http://kaylajustice.com/august-faves/
http://kaylajustice.com/august-faves/#respondFri, 01 Sep 2017 16:00:59 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3462it’s that time again folks, here’s what i have been loving and my favorites of august! movies/television Ducktales I don’t remember watching Ducktales when I was a kid, but living with three Disney-obsessed roommates screaming about David Tennant being Scrooge, I knew that it was on my list. The first episode just recently aired which […]

]]>it’s that time again folks, here’s what i have been loving and my favorites of august!

movies/television

Ducktales

I don’t remember watching Ducktales when I was a kid, but living with three Disney-obsessed roommates screaming about David Tennant being Scrooge, I knew that it was on my list. The first episode just recently aired which I linked above and we LOVED it. The theme song is obviously the best part, but I love the animation style, and storyline. It even inspired me to watch some of the older episodes. I’m really excited for this new season to begin.

Community

Thanks to my brother, I’ve abandoned my love on Brooklyn Nine-Nine for a new sitcom: Community. Following a disbarred lawyer returning to community college to earn a real law degree, he finds himself amidst a lovable misfit spanish study group and chaos ensues for these friends. This show is so relatable only recently graduating from college and it’s absolutely hilarious. I love every single character and have already made it halfway through season 2. Definitely a must watch!

books

Archie Vol. 1 (2016) – mark waid & fiona staples

I never read Archie comics as a kid or knew much about them as an adult. I had heard of the show Riverdale but didn’t realize it was based on those either until my roommate started talking about how she loved them. Browsing through our online library system I realized that they had revived the old comics with new art and decided to give them a try. I really enjoyed them, especially since Fiona Staples did the first volume (artist from Saga). I’ve read the 3 that have been released so far, and have the 4th on hold. I’m not sure that I’m too interested in the tv show, but the song “I Got You” came on my spotify weekly and I really love it. I’ll link that down in the music section.

Lord of Shadows – Cassandra Clare

I keep thinking that one of these days I WON’T like a Shadowhunter book, but I’ve yet to be proven wrong. While I’m not a huge fan of the plotline of her stories and the romance that ensues, I will continue to devour them as long as my original faves keep making big appearances. I have to say that I’m not really satisfied with the ending of this, and I gave it a 3 star rating, but I will speed-read these books everytime and still enjoy them.

music

I got you – riverdale cast

It’s so weird to me to see Cole Sprouse acting again, especially as Jughead. I haven’t seen the tv show, and I’ve only read the most recently revived comics which I loved. But this song popped up on my spotify discover and I really enjoyed it.

Human – cinematic pop

HOLY HECK Y’ALL. Spotify kills me sometimes with their recs because this showed up on shuffle one day and I thought I had gone to heaven it was amazing. Cinematic pop creates music same as their name. They take pop songs and put them to an orchestra and choir and it’s absolutely insane. Human is my favorite of theirs right now but I also love their Sail cover as well. Considering I spend about 50% of my time listening to soundtrack music, this appeals to my soul.

etc.

skillshare

I signed up for skillshare after one of my most-watched creators were sponsored by them and they were offering a 2 month free trial. I’ve absolutely loved it so far and have learned so much about mobile photography and other photography. I originally signed up to see if I could learn more about cooking but found even more offerings. I like that their classes range from 20minutes to 7 hours and you can pick anything that you want. It’s only $10 a month and I’m definitely considering extending my subscription once my free trial is over.

night schedules

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party is starting the week that I’m writing this and I’m SO. FRICKIN’. EXCITED. That also means that on my newest bid I’ve changed my schedule from mornings to evenings. I’ve slowly been moving my sleeping schedule and am realizing that this is probably better for me altogether. I do my best mental work in the mornings and might as well be at work at night and force myself to be awake, otherwise I’d be falling asleep on the couch at 7am. I’ve also realized that while getting off early feels nice, I’m too tired to do anything after work. I think these night schedules are going to work out perfectly for me.

hoopla @ the library

We didn’t have this back in Kansas, but here in Orlando the library system offers an app called Hoopla which offers online media. I downloaded it before my trip home and have watched three movies, read 4 comics, and downloaded some other items. You can checkout up to 15 items per month and you can download them to your Ipad for offline use as well. They don’t have a ton of really popular items but that’s how I read the Archie Comics, Sex Criminals, and I noticed they also had Saga. From the movies I watched High-Rise, Duck Tales, and The Librarian: Quest for the Spear.

photography inspo (Instagram)

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/august-faves/feed/03462July Favoriteshttp://kaylajustice.com/july-favorites/
http://kaylajustice.com/july-favorites/#respondTue, 08 Aug 2017 16:00:02 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3446I cannot believe August is already here. I remember when Summer started and I was wishing for the Holiday season to roll around at Disney and in just 20 days we will be having our first Mickey’s Not So Scary! But even though July has come to an end, there were a lot of things […]

]]>I cannot believe August is already here. I remember when Summer started and I was wishing for the Holiday season to roll around at Disney and in just 20 days we will be having our first Mickey’s Not So Scary! But even though July has come to an end, there were a lot of things that I cherished and loved last month!

movies/Television

Spiderman: Homecoming

I was definitely in the group that collectively sighed when Marvel announced that they had acquired the rights and would be creating another Spiderman movie. I was happy to see Tom Holland in Civil War, but wasn’t sure that I wanted another full-length movie about our web-slinging friend. After going through two sets of actors and sub-par films, I didn’t think I could stand it. BUT. I was wrong.

I was really happy that this movie focused on a new and original story and connected more to the avengers and Marvel Universe. Tom Holland really shined as an actor and was certainly the best Spiderman that I had ever seen on screen. The movie was tremendously hilarious with a lot of good easter eggs from the Marvel Universe and I’m happy to see him in our next Infinity War Trailer. I went on and on about how I wanted to go watch this again in theaters before it disappears.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I originally wanted to start this around midnight one night, but we ended up having a bug situation in the house which caused chaos and made me put it off for another day. Hillary had told me that night that she also wanted to watch the show so we sat down and turned on a few episodes before work one day and were hooked.

I’m not a huge Andy Samberg fan, but this show is definitely a gem. I think my thing with Andy Samberg was I had only seen him in skits not in a show with an actually developed character. With shows like The Office and Parks and Rec being some of our favorites, this ong fits right in line. I do have to say that this show is not as funny as the previously mentioned, but it has a lot of great characters, funny plot, and competitively embarrassing moments. We haven’t finished the first season yet, but I always look forward to watching the madness ensue with each episode.

Broadchurch Season 3

Broadchurch has to be one of my favorite, if not, my top favorite show on television so far. Hillary and I are currently keeping up to date with season 3 as it’s being shown on BBCAmerica after premiering in the UK. Unfortunately this is the last season for the show, and every season I have been sitting on the edge of my seat. The plot is full of twists, turns, and the small-town feel leaves you a little on-edge about your own community. The characters are incredible as is the actors and actresses who portray them.

It essentially follows two detectives solving three separate crimes in a small town, but the characters are all interconnected. This season has definitely been one of the toughest to watch but it has continued to be incredible.

books

Wrinkle in Time – L’Engle Madeleine

I read a lot of books in July, but they were all pretty average. One I did read that I enjoyed was Wrinkle in Time, which had recently been adapted into a movie whose trailer premiered at Disney’s D23 Expo. I originally saw the trailer online and became intrigued to read the book and I was really surprised the depth it held. Interestingly, I had never read the book as a child, so I felt like I was missing out. I really enjoyed the book and I think the trailer is brilliant.

Music

Imaginary Parties – Superfruit (Future Friends Part 1)

SUPERFRUIT is a spinoff of the original Pentatonix group who are wildly popular. The band features Mitch and Scott from the original Pentatonix and they are releasing their solo album this year titled: Future Friends Part 1. All of their songs that they have released have been jammin, but I personally like this video the best out of them all. They always have my heart.

Woman – Kesha

If you haven’t heard this song, you’ve been locked up in your house for the past month because the ultimate BOP dropped and it is a killer. Kesha has been slaying since coming back to the music scene and everyone is ready. She looks beautiful, healthy, and her songs are absolutely incredible and personal. Her song Praying is an amazing ballad that I love, but Woman always gets me dancing. I’ve loved every song she’s released ahead of her album drop this Fall.

Faint of Heart – The Strike

Spotify’s Discover Weekly hit the nail on the head again one week by giving me this tune that might be a little old, but never TOO old to jam to.

ETC.

Earl Grey Tea

Random and probably a little basic, I have been using up all the tea my mom sent with me over the past year. I recently finished out my stash of English Breakfast and have moved on to the Earl Grey tea and was promptly reminded that it is definitely my favorite. I realized that I should just not buy any other kind of tea from this point forward because I have been denying myself a world of my favorite flavor. The one I am using right now is Lipton but they’re all the same thing.

Essential Oil Diffuser

Last month I sat down and realized I had saved a bit of money from working and that I wanted to purchase something I had been wanting. From my past posts you all know I’ve purchased essential oils and have used them for a few things, but I really wanted to buy a diffuser to start using them more often. I bought this ultrasonic one off Amazon for $25 and have been loving it. It has multiple settings and LED lights I like to turn it on with my favorite oils near bedtime, and it lasts for hours with one fill and five drops of oil.

I’m obsessed and it’s easily one of the best purchases I have made recently.

Female Doctor Who!

Also, if you haven’t heard, THE NEW DOCTOR IS A WOMAN! And it’s Jodie Whittaker from my favorite television show BROADCHURCH! I am absolutely ecstatic about this decision which certainly didn’t come from Moffatt. The decision actually came from new head writer Chris Chibnall who is also the writer for Broadchurch, uncoincidentally. Realizing all this makes perfect sense as to why he decided to cast Jodie. This is incredible considering the Doctor has always been a man and my feminist side is screaming. I also could care less that the past writers are not happy with this decision because they are kind of the worst anyway.

I stopped watching Doctor Who when Capaldi arrived because I lost interest in the story, not necessarily the cast. But now I’m going to have to trudge through the past seasons just so I can catch up for Jodie’s incredible acting.

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/july-favorites/feed/03446Curated Closet – Challengehttp://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-challenge/
http://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-challenge/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 16:00:20 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3416fast fashion fast Over the summer I have been participating in a “Fast Fashion Fast” hosted by youtuber Verena Erin from My Green Closet. During this challenge participants try to avoid purchasing any fast fashion branded clothing, or clothes in general, in favor of more ethically/eco/fair trade brands. Fast Fashion has major impacts on our […]

Over the summer I have been participating in a “Fast Fashion Fast” hosted by youtuber Verena Erin from My Green Closet. During this challenge participants try to avoid purchasing any fast fashion branded clothing, or clothes in general, in favor of more ethically/eco/fair trade brands.

Fast Fashion has major impacts on our world environmentally, economically, and continues to trap garment workers in developing countries into poorly run and dangerous working conditions, some including child labor. For more information you can watch this good documentary called The True Cost on Netflix!

Since becoming more educated on top clothing lines like Forever21, H&M, Uniqlo, and other retailers, I have decided that I no longer want to support fast fashion and brands who create their clothes from sweatshops in developing countries. Because of this, I recently picked up Anuschka Rees’ book: The Curated Closet .

This book is essentially a guide to creating a well-curated closet designed specifically for your style, budget, and fit. The book is highly useful so I would suggest ordering it from the library as soon as possible. In this post I kind of wanted to talk about the ideas and activities I’ve started following to help fix my closet!

understanding your style

try on everything

Back a few months ago I went through my closet and pulled out a lot of stuff for Goodwill (donating still isn’t great for clothing) that I was never going to wear or didn’t fit me anymore and most recently I finally had the guts to pull out clothes that I loved that I realized I just couldn’t wear. They fit, but the arms were restricting or I felt like I couldn’t sit down in them. While you don’t have to get rid of any clothing (hopefully you don’t), I would suggest taking account of all your clothing.

Take an afternoon and try on every piece that you own so you can remember why you own it or why you haven’t actually worn it in awhile.

make a inspiration/pinterest board

You can view my curated closet board HERE. Sometimes people like these to be physical so you can print yours out and hang it in your closet or wherever. I personally am always on the computer, so pinterest is great for me and I took an afternoon and scoured the internet for my favorite outfits and styles. Magazines, website, blogs, however I mostly searched pinterest for some of my favorite celebrity styles. I filled up an entire board. Not all if any of these outfits are fair trade/eco-friendly pieces but it’s just to give me an idea, it’s not a buy-now board.

assess your picks and perfect style

In the Curated Closet, one of the tasks is to look through your inspiration board and pay attention to the kind of clothes you added in all aspects. I’ll list below all the headings the book uses and what I wrote down for each one. Some of it may not make sense but it’s what I use to describe it and you only need to understand your own personal style. This can range from an idea, vibe, to very specific items.

If you pick up the book, the author has a list of ideas for all of these. For the fits I had to google each one since I’m no fashion expert but it made it pretty easy to know what I would and wouldn’t like. But this all came from the designs that I picked for my pinterest that I either knew or though I liked.

what does your lifestyle need

The next part of the book talks about the kind of clothes that your lifestyle demands for 2 weeks. Everyone has different jobs and expectations at work and home, so what type of clothing are you most in need of. For me, I have a job where I wear a uniform and rarely need super-business clothes so there would be no point to own 6 blazers, a pant suit, and very formal dresses. For me, my lifestyle was as such:

Daytime Clothes: 6 Outfits

Park Running: 6 Outfits

Super Hot Florida Weather: 3 Outfits

Chill @ Home Clothes: 7 Outfits

PJs: 2 Outfits

These are exagerrated of course, because I could essentially combine chill @ home clothes with daytime clothes. Or daytime clothes combined with park running, but I gave myself a little extra room for variety. Right now the weather is always super hot, but I don’t always spend the entire day outside and in the fall and winter, I can wear jeans a lot more often. I also added PJs just because most of mine consist of old tshirts and yoga pants. I didn’t include business oufits, or formal wear, just because I only need about 1 of each considering I almost never attend anything where those are needed.

What is already in your closet

After assessing your preferred or idealistic style, then you can compare that to what you already have in your closet. At this point, the author gives you a list of different kind of pieces that make up an outfit. Obviously, this is just a guideline but for someone with no talent at fashion or style, it was really helpful. The author breaks it up into 3 categories: Key pieces, statement pieces, and basics. I found this to be a bit hard because a lot of key pieces and basics fell into the same category. But I wrote down what I had that worked and what I still wanted to look for. For me, my clothes fell into this:

I realized that a lot of my closet was graphic t-shirts from Disney, but I had slowly changed my style over the last few years. I had a lot of good t-shirts but they didn’t really fit well. They sagged at the neckline or I didn’t like how they fit on my stomach. My black and white shirts felt ill-fitting at the chest, and some of my bad quality clothes I liked had holes in them. And for statement pieces, I’m not really worried about because I don’t like to stand out or wear anything crazy so I’m not on the hunt for anything.

Color palettes

You can make your own color palettes online, I would suggest using Paletton, which is what I use in my design work but can work for this too. The book gives some color palette suggestions, so I just pulled a few from there that I liked.

My style is difficult because I love light, airy, and pastels but I also love earthy dark tones. I essentially live in both fall and springtime. But this is a great idea what goes together when buying separate pieces.

shopping! (but no buying) and fabrics

The most interesting part of this book, is that it suggests to go shopping with your ideas and information in tow to department stores and try on all the clothes you love (fit, color, anything) or anything you would never pick up. The author is very much for eco-friendly/fair trade fashion so she doesn’t ever suggest buying from fast fashion brands but going into a store with no interest or idea of buying anything allows you a freedom to try different styles without actively looking. I was also going in trying to pay attention to the type of fabric used to see if I could tell what was what and how it fit.

So I did! Needing groceries, I headed to Target with the intention on trying some clothes I loved and some that were out of my comfort level just to see if I liked them. I picked up 4 different shirts and a pair of jeans and headed to the changing room!

These ripped black skinny jeans were first, and I definitely got a size too big but they didn’t fit well and I felt like they made me look shorter. I usually never get ripped jeans but I don’t mind the style so I wanted to try them. I’m sure if they were the right size I would have liked them better.

The next thing I tried was this thin green tank top. It looks cute from the front, but if I pull my arms back at all there was no give. It was too tight in the shoulders and when I pulled my arms back the front became entirely too big and boxy, there was no shape at all. This shirt was made out of 100% polyester which is terrible for the environment and apparently is what fashion companies are using instead of cotton because it is cheaper and easier to use. This is a dark forest green which I love and I don’t mind the embroidery but the fit was a bit bad.

This shirt is so wrinkly, but I wanted to try one of these off the shoulder tops so bad because I see a lot of guests at disney wearing them and I think they’re cute. This one was okay, but I had the same problems with the arms and it also sat weird on the torso. It also felt entirely too big on top with all the frills. Maybe a different one would have worked. This shirt was made from 100% Rayon which I don’t know much about (probably not good) so it wasn’t as uncomfortable as polyester but still not great. I like the light blue color but I’m trying to get away from as many stripes.

I have to admit that this shirt is cute on and off the rack, but I had the same issues as the green shirt, with my arms. Anytime I pulled my arms back it completely collapsed at the chest and I could barely move. There was no give to this and while I don’t mind the shapelessness of it, it does make me look a bit big. I loved the colors in this however, and don’t mind these kinds of patterns. This was, of course, 100% polyester as well.

And finally my favorite thing was this button up cotton shirt. I love button ups, I love tucking shirts, and if I wasn’t on a fast-fashion fast I probably would’ve bought this. It was 100% cotton and actually super comfortable. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the stripes on the front being so sporadic but I loved the stripes on the back. This kind of fell into my black and white neutral minimalist style and it was big enough that it fit perfectly for me. This is definitely something I want to look for at the thrift store or ebay.

Future of my closet

I’m going back home to Kansas in a few weeks and I think I would like to take a day and go to the mall just to try on a lot of clothing items again with no intention of buying. I really loved doing it because I used to almost exclusively look at price tags before trying anything on. It’s really nice to try on a piece you like without worrying what it costs because you’re not buying it and I think it would be easier in a big mall. Then, of course, go to the local thrift stores!

I also realized a lot about my style and that I absolutely despise dresses and heels so it’s nice to completely canceled out that part of my shopping. I’m also really happy with the progress I’ve already made on my wardrobe and my desire to quit fast fashion. I had a photoshoot with a coworker recently and a lot of my pieces were eco-friendly or from the thrift store. Photos by Rachel Dunlop Photography.

In the first photo I bought the t-shirt from Everlane a few months ago, the sunflower skirt is from Goodwill, and I’ve had the same sandals for about 5 years. For the second photo the shirt I’ve had for a few years, and the skirt is pre-owned from Ebay. In the third photo my skirt I’ve had for 3 years from Modcloth, the shirt is Everlane, and the crochet cardigan is from Goodwill.

If you’d like to know more about fast fashion be sure to check out My Green Closet! If you guys are participating let me know how you’re doing or if you have read The Curated Closet what you thought!

]]>http://kaylajustice.com/curated-closet-challenge/feed/03416Exploring the World of Pandorahttp://kaylajustice.com/exploring-world-pandora/
http://kaylajustice.com/exploring-world-pandora/#respondTue, 25 Jul 2017 16:00:05 +0000http://kaylajustice.com/?p=3390Valley of Mo’Ara I realized this morning that I’ve never posted anything about Pandora either here or on my youtube channel since the land opened at Animal Kingdom. Mostly because everytime I’ve been it’s either incredibly crowded or too rainy to bring my camera. But I’ve come to change all that because I do have […]

I realized this morning that I’ve never posted anything about Pandora either here or on my youtube channel since the land opened at Animal Kingdom. Mostly because everytime I’ve been it’s either incredibly crowded or too rainy to bring my camera. But I’ve come to change all that because I do have a few pictures from this beautiful land that I would love to show you! First of all make sure you guys check out my flickr HERE to see all these beautiful photos in hi-res!

I’d like to give a shoutout to my beautiful friend and roommate Celine who helped open this incredible world to Animal Kingdom. She’s a complete boss and I’m so proud of her. Therefore a lot of these photos are of her in and her homeland.

music + food + sights

I have to admit before Pandora opened that I wasn’t all that excited. I watched Avatar a few nights before opening with my roommates because I had never seen it and ended up falling asleep. The CGI was beautiful and I understood the story but the Navi did creep me out just a little bit and I wasn’t too invested. Therefore I wasn’t completely in love with the idea of this world or knew much about it. But I have to say that they really transformed this tiny space into something amazing and Flight of Passage is definitely the best ride on Disney property.

One of my other favorite things about this area is the lack of music. I believe it has an outdoor soundtrack that plays, but doesn’t actively play music. You can hear the waterfalls and all the creatures in Mo’ara and it’s interestingly quiet and relaxing. Another thing I love is the food. Satuli’ Canteen has some of the best food on property and when using the mobile ordering it’s incredibly quick. I love that they have a tofu option and their desserts are delicious!

Pongu Pongu + windtraders

Speaking of food, there is also Pongu Pongu that serves both non and alcoholic drinks. Hillary let me finish her Night Blossom while we were there which is a mixture of minute maid limeade with apple and desert pear flavors topped with passion fruit boba balls. It’s tasty!

Their shop, Windtraders, is beautifully designed as well and houses all the merchandise perfectly. I love all the details and even though I don’t necessarily want to purchase Avatar themed products, it does a good job of making me think I need something. The smell of Pandora is also another fun and interesting addition. Hillary actually has a candle that smells a bit like the Flight of Passage queue line.

Bioluminescence @ Night

But the absolute best part of Pandora: World of Avatar, is visiting at night. Around 8pm every summer the sun sets and the bioluminesent plants come to life. It’s absolutely gorgeous and paired with the night breeze and cooling down of the day it’s a perfect spot to hang out at night. Plus it allows for some nice pictures!

I hope to have a vlog up soon from Pandora and hopefully return to take more pictures when it gets a bit cooler out! Let me know if you’ve been to Pandora and what your favorite things are about the land!